Container closing apparatus



June 21, 1949. E. HENSCHEN ETAL 2,473,523

. CONTAINER CLOSING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 24, 1947 A s Sheets-Sheet 1 Jjanlqy WDpnnlfJ', .ljd yar mpken,

mMim rw Filed! Jan. 24, 1947 E. HENSCHEN a-rm. 2,473,523 CQNIAINER cnosme APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 Zqy' J04 pnnt'sj,

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E. HENSCHEN ETAL CONTAINER CLOSING APPARATUS June 2% 1949.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 24, 1947 A WWQQ QQ I ilw tan .Dpnm, i, E ,ar Jiem k- Patented June 21, 1949 it CLQSWG APPARATUS Edgar Henschen and Stanley W. Dennis, Baltimore, Md, assignora to Grown (Cork a Seal Company, linc., Bait or New Work a Mail, a corporation Application January 2d, 1947, Serial No. 723,986

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This invention relates to container closing apparatus oi the type including a head by means oi which closures are applied to containers as the result of the intermittent relative approach of the head and successive containers, and including means by which closures are transferred from a magazine to position for application between each closing action. An object of the invention is to provide improved and simplified closure transfer means including a reciprocating slide which, in the specific embodiment to be hereinafter described, (1) provides at all times, in the operation of the apparatus, a support for a stack of closures, (2) in one direction of movement separates the lowermost closure from the stack, (3) in the other direction of movement transfers the separated closure to closure applying position, and (4) supports .the closure in this position for application. Another object of the invention is to provide a closure applying head including built-in compensating means for over-height containers. Another object is to provide an improved drive for the slide whereby any tendency of the latter to bind in its guide due to transverse cooking is eliminated.

The above and other objects are attained in the apparatus shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, this apparatus being particularly designed. for the application of caps of the form shown in the copending application of Stanley W. Dennis, filed January 22, 1947, Serial No. 723,630. In the drawings,

Figure 1 is an end elevation of a capping head embodying the invention,

Figure 2 is a section substantially on line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the head as seen from the right of Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a section substantially on line 4-4 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a view like that of Figure 4 showing the parts in a different relation,

Figure 6 is a, section substantially on line 66 of Figure 5,

Figure '7 is a partial view like that of Figure 6 showing the parts in a different relation,

Figure 8 is an axial section of the transfer slide alone,

Figure 9 is a section substantially on line 9-3 of Figure 6, and

Figures 10, 11 and 12 are sections l0--lll, ll|l and l2--l 2, respectively, of Figure 4.

Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, reference numeral 15 designates generally a capping head which includes abracket IS, in the form of a cylinder, provided with upper and lower sets of laterally projecting ears ll, i8, it, it, by means of which the head is supportable on a turret such as is disclosed in the patent to Stewart and Franz, No. 2,311,786 of February 23, 1943, the bracket having a front sector removed to provide an opening 2 lbounded top and bottom by horizontal walls 22 and 23 and by vertical side walls 24 and 25. A sleeve 26 is slidable in the lower part of the bracket and is normally supported from the latter by means of abutting shoulders 21 and 28 on the bracket and sleeve respectively. Secured to the upper outer portion of the sleeve is a transverse block 29 which engages the vertical edges 24 and 25 of the bracket to prevent relative turning of the sleeve, and projecting oppositely from block 29 are aligned pins 30 and 3|, Figures 2 and 3. Near its upper end, sleeve 26 has an internal annular flange 32 and below the latter is provided with a pair of diametrically opposite axially extending grooves of which one appears at 33, Figure 2.

Reference numeral 34 generally designates a throat carrier including a stem 35 having a lower portion 36 slidably received in sleeve 26 and prevented from rotation by splines as ,at 31 in the ways as at 33. Stem portion 36 terminates upwardly in an annular shoulder 38 and is surmounted by a coaxial reduced portion 39 whose upper end is slidable in the sleeve portion 40' of a cap 40 secured to the top of the bracket cylinder and constituting a part of the bracket. The upper projecting extremity of stem portion 39 carries a roller for the purpose disclosed in the above-mentioned Stewart and Franz patent. A heavy compression spring 4| surrounds the stem and bears against flange 32 and cap 40, and a relatively weak compression spring 42 within spring 4| bears against shoulder 38 and the lower end of sleeve portion 40'.

The carrier 34 include's a base block 43 integral, as here shown, with the stem 35 and providing a throat chamber 44 coaxial with the stem. Formed in the stem is a bore 45 coaxial with the throat chamber and surmounted by a counterbore 46 so that a shoulder 41 is provided. Outwardly of the throat chamber, there is formed in the block a downwardly tapering opening 48 whose outer wall is provided with a vertical slot 49. Fixed on the block in coaxial relation with opening 48 is a magazine cylinder 50, there being an annular shoulder 5| at the lower end of the magazine for the support of the package tube 52 for the caps to be applied. The cylinder has a vertical slot 53 aligned with slot 49.

ac'zaoaa Pivoted on inwardly projecting coaxial pins at the ends of arms 58 and 59 are rectangular blocks 68 and 6| slidable in horizontal tracks 62 and 88 defined between ribs 84, 65 and 66, 61 which pro,-

ject laterally from the cylinder 58.

Secured beneath block 43 is a platform 68 'which provides a container guide aperture 69 comprising a cylindrical portion 18, coaxial with the throat chamber 44, surmounting a downwardly flared portion H. The platform projects outwardly beyond the magazine to provide a slideway comprising a depressed horizontal bottom wall 12 and parallel side walls 18 and 14. The bottom wall, which is provided with an elongated opening 15, extends up to the throat 18 while the side walls extend beyond the throat to terminate at recesses 16 and 11, Figures 4 and 5.

The transfer slide or injector member 18, as here shown; comprises a rectangular plate 19 of a thickness somewhat less than the height of side walls I3 and 14 and of a width for free sliding movement between the side walls. At its top, the rear, left-hand end portion of the plate is relieved to provide a cap supporting surface here shown as composed of two portions 88 and 8| separated, for the sake of reducing friction, by a longitudinally extending relief 82, the cap supporting surface being bounded by side walls 83 and 84 which converge symmetrically somewhat forwardly to a spacing slightly greater than the maximum diameter of the cap to be handled at vertical arcuate cutouts 85 and 86, the forward portion of the plate being cut away to provide extensions 81 and 98 and backsomewhat beyond recesses 85 and 86 to provide an abutment wall 81'.

Referring particularly to Figure 8, the lower inner edge of the extension 81 is rabbetted at 89 and rearwardly merges into an incline 98 which terminates in a transverse edge 9| at recess 85 to provide a blade generally designated at 92. Extension 88 is similarly formed to provide a blade 93 having a rearwardly directed edge 94. Beneath the blades the side walls of the extensions are parallel and are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the cap to be handled.

At its forward, right-hand end, plate 19 has its underside relieved to flushly receive a U-shaped plate 95 which is secured thereto by rivets as indicated in Figures 4 and 5. The arms 96 and 91 of plate 95 underlie the extensions 81 and 88 and have an inward projection about the same as that of blades 92, the spacing being sufficient to pass the head of the bottle to be capped. The inner edges of the arms merge in a circular line 98 which runs across the cross portion of plate 85, the cross portion extending somewhat forwardly of. wall 81' as-particularlyshown in Figure 4. On top of their forward ends arms 96 and 911 carry .stops 99 and I88 which are so arranged with respect to wall 81 as to provide three point centering means for the cap. As most clearly shown in Figure 11, the tops of the stops are spaced below the horizontal bottom walls of the blades 92 and 93.

. Near its rear end, plate 18 is provided midway between its sides with an opening in which is fixed a downwardly projecting tubular stud I8I provided at its sides with openings as at I82 and I83 which are elongated fore and aft. Rotatably received in the stud is a cylindrical plug I84 havand blades.

- 4 ing a diametrical bore whose diameter is substantlally the same as the height of the openings I82 and I88 and passedthrough all of the openings is a'pin I85 which, through links I86 and I81, is in connection with the lower ends of arms 56 and 51 of the bell crank levers. The stud, through slots I82 and I83, supports the pin for limited free swinging about the stud axis and serves to guide the plug for rotary movement. The pin is closely received in the plug bore, and its movement is transmitted through the plug to the stud and thence to the slide.

An annular disc I88 is held against the top of throat chamber 44, Figure 2, by means of a ring I89 which is supported by the platform, the ring having at its upper end an internal rabbet in which is received the out-turned ends of the segments II8 of an expansible throat III, the segments being normally maintained in constricted relation by a surrounding coil spring II2. Slidable in bore 45 is a tubular presser foot carrier H3 reduced at its lower end to provide a shoulder engageable with the inwardly projecting margin of disc I88 to positively limit downward movement of the carrier. Near its upper end the carrier is internally enlarged to provide a seat for a washer 'I I4 against which bears the lower end of a compression spring II5 whose upper end seats against the top of counterbore 46, the strength of spring II5 being intermediate that of springs M and 42. Reference numeral I I6 designates the presser foot which is provided on its upper side with a spherical boss II1 engaging the mating end of carrier I I3. Projecting upwardly from the boss is a screw H8 and between the head of the latter and an internal shoulder of carrier H3 is a volute spring II9 which seats the boss against carrier II3 so that the presser foot is normally horizontal butcan be tilted somewhat in any direction.

In Figure 2 the parts are in normal or rest position. Sleeve 26 is held in its lowermost position by-spring 4| and the throat carrier is pressed to its lowermost position by spring 42. Downward movement of the throat carrier, together with the magazine, has swung the bell crank levers counter-clockwise to advance the slide to the position shown wherein stud I8I abuts portion 68' of the platform and so limits the action of spring 42. The presser foot is urged to its lowermost position by spring H5.

The cap of the said Dennis application, shown at I28 in Figures 6 and '7, has a skirt I2I depending from a circular top and terminating in a corrugated peripheral flange I22, the skirt being slightly shouldered at I23 to prevent tight nesting. In Figures 2 and 6, the bottom cap of the stack rests on the slide surface 88, 8| and another cap is supported by the ledges 96 and 91 below the throat and with its top surface spaced below the presser foot a distance slightly greater than the height of stops 99 and I88. If, as in the Stewart and Franz patent above-mentioned, a bottle is elevated through the centering aperture 69, it will engage the cap to be applied and will lift the cap against the presser foot so that its flange is just above the stops 99 and I88 and just below the blades, the spaces between the stops and the bottom surfaces of the blades being somewhat greater than the total thickness of the flange. Consequently, as the elevation of the bottle continues, the bell crank levers are swung clockwise and the slide is retracted with the cap flange being cleared through the spaces between the stops The presser foot does not move relative to the throat carrier at this time because spring i ii is sufllciently heavier than sprin 42 so that the latter alone'will yield. However when the top of base block 43 strikes the lower end of sleeve 26, the rise of the throat carrier will stop and spring iii, being'much weaker than spring ll will permit the presser foot to rise, and when the top of carrier H8 strikes shoulder 41 the capping operation, in the case of a bottle of normal height, is completed. If the bottle is over-height, however, spring II will yield and thus compensate for the discrepancy. It would not be possible to compensate for extra bottle height by increasing the range of upward movement of carrier H3 in bore 45 since, in that case, the greater projection of the bottle top in the throat could result in damage to the bottle, particularly where the bottle has an external finish ring 'just below the bead.

As the slide was retracted, the blades sliced off the lowermost cap from the stack and the latter was deflected by the blade inclines onto the ledge provided by plate 95, the cap being centered by wall 87 and stops 99 and H and the support of the stack being taken over by the blades 92 and 93 as indicated in Figure 7. The slicing action occurs by reason of the fact that the blade edges 9i and 94 are spaced above surface 80, 8] a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the cap flange and so take over the latter as the slide is retracted. The wedge shaped blades eflect positive separation. After the capped bottle is lowered, the throat carrier is lowered by spring 42 and the slide advances to carry the separated cap beneath the throat in substantially centered relation thereto, overthrow of the cap being prevented by stops 99 and I 00. The stack now again rests on the surface 80, H.

Thus, the single slide eliminates a number of parts heretofore necessary in apparatus of this type. For example, in the prior art, as exemplifled in the patent to Huntley and Rau, No. 1,956,218 of April 24, 1934, the stack is supported and fed from by means of a number of oscillable members, requiring a special drive, at the base of the magazine, and the slide merely propels the cap to a position beneath the throat where it is supported by means of a special ledge. The compensatingfeature makes unnecessary the provision of a yieldingly supported cradle cam for the bottle supporting chucks as in the hereinbefore mentioned Stewart and Franz patent. Due to the drive of the slide through the swiveling cross pin, twisting eilects and any tendency to jam caused thereby, are eliminated.

It will be understood that the disclosure herein is intended as illustrative and that under the claims which follow, changes'in the form and arrangement of parts, as, for example, for the handling of different types of closures, are contemplated. F'urthermore, while the Stewart and Franz Patent No. 2,311,786 has been referred to and adopted herein as disclosing a system in which the apparatus of the present invention is well adapted for use, it will be understood that this is not intended as limiting since the invention is equally applicable in other arrangements, wherein, for example, the head may be lowered instead of the container lifted.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for applying closures to-containers, the closures each comprising a circumferential flange, said apparatus including a head.

comprising a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of the closures and a vertical throat 6 horizontally spaced from the magazine, guide means extending between the lower ends of said magazine and throat, a slide reciprocable in said guide means between retracted and advanced positions, said slide comprising a rear portion which provides a supporting surface for the stack when the slide is in advanced position, a pair of spaced parallel forward extensions having surfaces adapted to support a closure through its flange, said extensions having free forward ends with the space therebetween unobstructed, whereby the extensions may be retracted from straddling relation with respect to a bottle neck, blade means carried by the extensions above the last mentioned surfaces for removing the lowermost closure from the stack and depositing it on said surfaces as the slide is retracted, an upwardly projecting abutment surface at the rear ends, of said surfaces to retain the removed closure thereon for transportation to a position beneath said throat as the slide is advanced, and means operable upon relative vertical movement of said head and acontainer to be closed for reciprocating said slide between its limit positions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein centering means including stops on the forward ends of said extension surfaces is provided, and

wherein in the closing operation initial engagement of the closure and the container to be closed causes the release of the closure from said stops.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a presser foot is provided in said throat and is normally spring-urged downwardly to a limit position wherein it is spaced above a closure as delivered by said extensions beneath said throat,

wherein centering means including stops on the forward ends of said extensions is provided, and wherein in the closing operation initial engagement of the closure and container to be closed causes the release of the closure from said stops just before the closure and presser foot come into engagement.

4. In apparatus for applying closures to containers, the closures each comprising a-circumferential flange, said apparatus including a head comprising a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of the closures and a vertical throat horizontally spaced from the magazine, guide means extending between the lower ends of said magazine and throat, a slide reciprocable in said guide means between retracted and advanced positions,

said slide having a rear portion providing a supporting surface for the stack when the slide is in advanced position, said slide having at its forward end a pair of forwardly extending blades wardly-faced horizontal edges disposed in advance of said supporting surface and at a height above said surface slightly greater than the thickness of said flange whereby the blades act to separate the lowermost closure from the stack as the slide is retracted and to take over the support of the stack, means for reciprocating said slide, and means for delivering the separated closure beneath said throat.

5. In apparatus for applying closures to containers, the closures each comprising a circumferential flange, said apparatus including a head comprising a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of the closures and a vertical throat horizontally spaced from the magazine, guide means extending between the lower ends of said magaguide means between retracted and advanced positions, said slide having a rear portion providing a supporting surface for the stack when the slide is in advanced position, said slide having at its forward end a pair of forwardly extending blades horizontally spaced apart somewhat less than the diameter of the closure and having rearwardly faced horizontal edges disposed in advance of said supporting surface and at a height above said surface slightly greater than the thickness of said flange whereby the blades act to separate the lowermost closure from the stack as the slide is retracted and to take over the support of the stack, said slide including ledges beneath said blades adapted to receive said lowermost closure and also including an abutment portion serving to push the received closure into centered relation to the throat when the slide is advanced, and means operable to reciprocate said slide.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein stops are provided on top of said ledges at the forward ends thereof in position to engage the flange of a closure supported on said ledges soas to prevent overthrow of the closure as the slide reaches its advanced position, the 'tops of said stops being spaced below said blades so that upon initial relative vertical displacement of the stops are provided on top of said ledges at the forward ends thereof in position to engage the flange of a closure supported on said ledges so as to prevent overthrow of the closure as the slide reaches its advanced position, the tops of said stops being spaced below said blades so that upon initial relative vertical displacement of the closure and slide in the closing operation the slide can be retracted and the cap flange cleared through the spaces between said stops and blades, and including a presser foot in said throat nor-. mally spring-urged downwardly to a limit position wherein it is spaced above a closure supported on said ledges beneath said throat and engages the closure at the end of said initial relative displacement.

8. An apparatus for applying closures to containers, the closures each comprising a top, a skirt and a radially extending circumferential flange at the bottom of the skirt, said apparatus comprising a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of closures, a vertical throat carrier horizontally spaced from and mounted for limited vertical movement with the magazine, a throat in said carrier, guide means extending between the lower ends of the magazine and throat, a slide reciprocable in said guide means having a rear portion providing a supporting surface for the stack when the slide is advanced toward the throat and having at its forward end a pair of forwardly extending blades provided with rearwardly faced horizontal edges beyond and above said supporting surface a height slightly greater than the thickness of the closure flange, whereby the blades act to separate the lowermost closures from the stack as the blade is retracted toward the magazine, said slide including ledges beneath said blades to receive said lowermost closure, said ledges having stops ;at their forward ends projecting upwardly toward but spaced from said blades to prevent overthrow of the closure as the slide reaches its advanced position, a spring urging the throat carrier and a bottle to be capped into contact with the foot,

magazine to a lower limit position, a presser foot in said throat having a lower limit position spaced slightly above a closure supported on said ledges, a second spring urging the foot to said lower limit position, whereby, when said closure is raised by the closure flange is horizontally aligned with the spaces between said stops and said blades, the first mentioned spring being weaker than the second spring, whereby continued upward movement of the bottles raises the throat carrier and magazine without relative movement between the foot and the throat, and means actuated by said upward movement of the magazine and throat carrier for retracting the slide, the closure flange 4 passing through said spaces.

g 9. Capping apparatus comprising a bracket, a sleeve supported by said bracket for vertical movement, s'top means on the bracket limiting.

downward movement of said sleeve, spring means between said bracket and sleeve normally holding said sleeve in its lower limit position, a throat carrier having a stem portion slidable in said sleeve, said carrier and sleeve having cooperating abutment portions limiting the upward travel of said stem portion relative to said sleeve, said stem portion having a vertical bore in its lower end, a presser foot carrier slidable in said bore, said carriers having cooperating abutment portions limiting the upward travel of the presser foot carrier relative to the throat carrier, spring means weaker than the first mentioned spring means urging the presser foot carrier downwardly, and stop means on the throat carrier limiting the downward movement of said presser foot carrier.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 including still weaker spring means between said bracket and throat carrier and urging the latter downwardly.

1'1. Capping apparatus comprising a bracket, a sleeve vertically slidable in said bracket, stop means on the bracket limiting downward movement of said sleeve, 2. throat carrier having a stem portion slidable in said sleeve, said bracket including a bearing cap above said sleeve in which the upper part of said stem portion is slidable, a compression spring surrounding said stem portion between said cap and sleeve and normally holding the sleeve in its lower limit position, said carrier and sleeve having cooperating abutment portions limiting th upward travel of said stem portion relative to said sleeve, said stem portion having a vertical bore in its lower end, a presser foot carrier slidable in said bore, said carriers having cooperating abutment portions limiting the upward travel of the presser foot carrier relative to the throat carrier, a compression spring in said bore urging the presser foot carrier downwardly, and stop means on the throat carrier limiting the downward movement of the presser foot carrier.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 including a still weaker compression spring surrounding said stem portion with its upper end against said cap, and a shoulder on said stem portion against which the lower end of the last-named spring bears.

13. In apparatus for applying closures to containers, a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of closures, a vertical throat horizontally spaced from the magazine, a slide and guide means therefor extending between the lower ends of the magazine and the throat, a stud projecting from one face of said slide substantially midway between the lateral edges thereof, a member concentric with said stud and guided for rotation thereby, a pin, said stud and member being transversely apertured to receive said pin with capability of swinging relative to the stud but not to said member, and operating arms engaging the ends of said pin.

'14. In apparatus for applying closures to containers, a vertical magazine for receiving a stack of closures, a vertical throat horizontally spaced from the magazine, a slide and guide means therefor extending between the lower ends of the magazine and the throat, a hollow stud projecting from one face of said slide substantially midway between the lateral edges thereof, said stud having lateral openings elongated fore "and aft, a plug rotatable in said stud and having a diametrical round opening, a pin passing through said openings, and operating arms engaging the ends of said pin.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 including a stop on said guide means engageable by said stud to limit movement of said slide in one direction.

16. Apparatus according to claim 9 including -a vertical magazine supported by the throat car- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,224,937 Lassen May 8, 1917 1,244,494 Hammer Oct. 30, 1917 1,737,569 Cameron Dec. 3, 1929 1,958,306 LaBombard et al. May 8, 1934 2,068,165 Daniels Jan. 19, 1937 2,384,052 Stewart et al Sept. 4, 1945 

